UNICEF and partners invest in Early Childhood Development in Viet Nam

“Early years of childhood are crucial to form the basis of intelligence, personality, social behaviour, and capacity to learn and become productive adults. Investing in Early Childhood Development is one of the most cost efficient investments to boost Viet Nam’s sustainable development. Early interventions for disadvantaged children help them achieve more success when they reach primary school and it improves their health and over all development. As adults they will have higher employment and earnings, better health, and they are less likely to depend on welfare,” said Jesper Moller, UNICEF Deputy Representative.

The two child-friendly community-based libraries offer warm and welcoming environment where children can relax, read and borrow books and magazines, play games and improve the Vietnamese language skills they will need to make it through school. In addition to various types of books, the libraries contain toys and learning tools such as basic software, computer, audio-visual equipment to facilitate the various activities within the library and beyond. While libraries are needed for nurturing reading practices and promotion of readiness to transit to primary school, there is no clear guideline for the establishment of such a library in pre-schools in Viet Nam.

Extensive training and technical support on child rights, ECD, campaign design, community development, child friendly library concepts and participatory have been provided to the teachers, school managers and community leaders. Through the establishment of the two library, it is expected to increase the capacity of local partners for participatory, rights-based approaches and thus increase quality learning and long-term child-friendliness and empower communities well into the future.

“We welcome the initiative of establishing the child-friendly community-based library. We believe that the teachers, parents and community will actively participate and effectively manage the libraries, contributing to the improvement of education quality, child-friendliness as well as community awareness in ECD. Based on the experience of these two pilot library, we request the Institute of Educational Sciences to conduct further study for the possible replication of this model”, said Mr. Nguyen Ba Minh, Director of Early Childhood Education Department, Ministry of Education and Training.

The two child-friendly community-based libraries in Tam Xa and Dong Hoi pre-schools in Ha Noi have been rehabilitated by the Ministry of Education and Training thanks to a generous contribution from Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd. with support from UNICEF.